Laboratory measurement of radionuclide sorption in solid waste storage Area 6 soil/groundwater systems

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7119216· OSTI ID:7119216

Friedman, H. A.; Kelmers, A. D.

Batch contact sorption tests were completed to measure the sorption of several radionuclides in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Solid Waste Storage Area saturated zone soil/groundwater system at a pH of near neutral. In the linear region of the sorption isotherms, sorption ratios for cesium, cobalt, and europium were typically near the analytical detection limit of >3000 L/kg. Strontium and uranium sorption ratios were lower, ranging from 50 to 75 L/kg. The soil had a high sorption capacity for these elements; and competition for sorption sites, as evidenced by decreased sorption ratios, was not observed in tests with cesium, cobalt, and europium. Minor competition effects were noted for strontium and uranium. Several unsaturated zone soils were tested; the sorption was markedly reduced in the case of cesium and cobalt. Scouting tests were performed to explore the effects of pH on europium and uranium and the effects of added organic reagents on europium sorption. Provisional sorption ratio values are recommended for use in modeling the mobility of these radionuclides in the saturated zone. 7 refs., 14 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7119216
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-10561; ON: DE90010370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540230* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540330 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
CESIUM
COBALT
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EUROPIUM
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTHERMS
ISOTOPES
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ORNL
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RARE EARTHS
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
SORPTION
STRONTIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES
WATER